Field of the Disclosure
The present subject matter relates to heat transfers that feature anti-marking during transfer, particularly onto performance fabrics, particularly synthetic fabrics, textiles and garments, including sportswear fabrics, clothing and accessories. The present subject matter is especially suitable for transfers having an ink design layer protected by a support sheet suitable for use in heat-transfer labeling and the like.
Description of Related Art
Transfer decoration, labels, patches, tags, identification placards, embellishments and the like are widely used for a variety of different applications including logos, trademarks, keyboard symbols, whether numeric, alphabetic or alphanumeric or other symbols, sports designs, logos and names, fabric and clothing design details, accents and backgrounds, artwork of various shapes and the like. At times these are referred to herein as designs, images and/or indicia. In some applications, these decorative components are in the nature of heat transfers, often referred to as labels, suitable for application on fabrics, clothing and accessories that are of the performance fabric variety exhibiting a relatively high degree of susceptibility to damage upon being subjected to heat transfer application. Such performance fabrics, clothing and accessories to be enhanced with heat transfer decorative components often concern so-called “soft goods,” a term generally understood in the art. Examples include clothing, upper bodywear, lower bodywear, headwear, footwear, outerwear, underwear, garments, sportswear fabrics, other sheet goods, banners, flags, athletic or sport clothing, uniforms, and combinations thereof.
Performance fabrics for soft goods or the like can include those exhibiting stretchability, soft touch tactile characteristics, and vivid color appearance, while being flexible in process manufacturing. Typical synthetic fibers suitable for inclusion in the performance fabric category include polyesters, polyamides, nylons, and combinations of such materials with cotton and/or stretchable or resilient materials such as spandex or elastane or Lycra® and the like. Performance fabrics are a particular challenge for heat transfers, being susceptible to damage during ink design enhancement and unwanted “ghost” marking formation during the heat transfer process.
Thermal transfer laminates for heat transfer labels and procedures are generally known. Examples include the following. U.S. Pat. No. 7,906,189 concerns heat transfer labeling for fabric incorporating a release coating for addressing problems encountered when trying to effect a cleaner release of the label from the fabric, often in the context of cooling time shortening. U.S. Pat. No. 6,228,486 concerns heat transfer laminates for ink or graphics layers adhered to the release coating. U.S. Pat. No. 8,349,427 concerns heat transfer labels that can incorporate an adhesive layer, a solvent-borne ink and includes a dye migration resistant property. These do not address and solve the problem of achieving secure heat transfer of ink designs, images and/or indicia on performance fabrics while minimizing or eliminating undesirable markings during the heat transfer procedure by heat transfer bonder equipment.